Kingdom Come: Classic Album Collection (Caroline, 2019)

One of my favorite trends in recent years is these compact, multi-disc reissue box sets, especially when there is a new remastering of classic albums and some bonus tracks we might have missed the first time around. German hard rockers Kingdom Come are the latest to get the box set treatment, and it’s as good an excuse as any to revisit this underrated band’s early work.

Kingdom Come was essentially the first Greta Van Fleet. The press (and the fans) were merciless in criticizing their obvious Led Zeppelin worship, but that didn’t stop Lenny Wolf (previously of Stone Fury) and company from soldiering on and releasing some great melodic hard rock albums. You can hear the band’s progression from full-on Zeppelin clones to their own unique sound over the course of the three albums included in this Classic Album Collection box set. Here’s what you get:

Disc 1: Kingdom Come – The band’s best known (if not best loved) 1988 debut album kicks things off. It has been newly remastered for this set, and they did a great job with it. It’s perhaps not as loud as the Bad Reputation reissue from 2011, but that may not be a bad thing. It also includes four bonus tracks – three single/radio edits and the b-side “Helping Hand.”

Disc 2: In Your Face – The band’s 1989 album is presented here in its entirety. It has been remastered as well, and includes four bonus tracks – “Slow Down” a pair of live tracks and a brief “Word From Lenny” to round out the disc. The first three bonus tracks previously appeared on the Bad Reputation reissue of Kingdom Come.

Disc 3: Hands Of Time – The band’s 1991 third album closes the set. Like the previous two, it has been remastered and sounds fantastic. Only one bonus track here: the 12” single track “Don’t Need To Justify.”

Packaging for this set is pretty basic. Each disc gets its own cardboard sleeve with printed album art, and there’s a nice booklet covering all three albums that has some vintage photos and the like. Its all housed in a small clamshell box that fits neatly on the shelf. Sure, individual jewel cases for each disc would have been ideal, but the compact design makes it easier on the wallet. Speaking of which…

As of this writing, the price point for this Classic Album Collection box set is around $20 if you shop around, making it a great value for three strong albums that have been remastered and loaded with extras.

If you missed Kingdom Come the first time around, this neat little set is the perfect way to discover the band. And if you already own the original discs, the remastering and low price point makes this a very tempting upgrade. Clearly I couldn’t resist…